Georgia's Water Reform: Introducing Internationally Recognized Standards for Sustainable Water Management

Georgia's water resources will soon be managed with the help of new legislation aimed at ensuring international standards are met. This comes as a result of the association agreement between Georgia and the European Union, with USAID supporting the water management reform.

The reform will bring about a number of changes, including the imposition of new requirements and obligations on businesses and the state. The head of USAID's economic management program, Natalia Beruashvili, has stated that the goal of the water reform is to make this resource as beneficial as possible to the development of the country.

According to Khatuna Gogaladze, head of the environmental organization Georgia's Environmental Outlook (GEO), water is a vital resource, but access to safe and clean drinking water remains a challenge in Georgia. The new legislation is based on the directives of the European Union, and includes the introduction of the principles of basin management. This means dividing the country into river basins, and managing water resources under the basin to protect the interests of all users and prevent water pollution and degradation.

One of the challenges of the reform is the involvement of municipalities, who will have a large role in managing water resources. The priority will be providing safe drinking water to the population, but decisions on other priorities will be made within the basin management plans, which allow for the fair distribution of resources based on the needs of the region.

In addition, the law also addresses issues related to climate change, such as waterfalls and floods. The law obliges the population to have a certain plan in specific places and situations in a crisis, and monitoring stations will be introduced to gather maximum information about water.

Overall, the USAID-supported water management reform will benefit the people of Georgia, create jobs, attract investments, and promote economic growth. The new law on water resources management is set to be approved by the end of the spring session.